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Welcome to eWillys.com, a website for vintage jeep enthusiasts. I update this website nearly every day with jeep deals, jeep history, interesting reader projects, jeep related info, and more.
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There are plenty of interesting, unusual, historic and surprising stories related to Jeeps and their owners. In addition, some of these features have nothing to do with jeeps. This link will display all featured stories starting from the latest.
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Importantly, the allure of buying a project jeep can be romantic. The reality of restoring a jeep can be quite different, expensive and overwhelming without the right tools and resources. So, tread carefully when purchasing a "project". If you have any concerns about buying a vintage jeep, or run across a scam, feel free to contact me for help, comments or concerns .
One of the blurbs this four-page November 1962 issue highlights is the introduction of an electric motor kit for the Forward Control Jeeps.
Form D-119 Parts and Accessories Bulletin: Electric Wiper Kit
Some of you may have seen an image of a CJ-2A setup to pull an Airstream trailer that has gone around Facebook. Unfortunately, there was no history attached to that image. So, that’ got me hunting for more information. Below is my quick education on the Airstream history. I’m sure some of. you folks know more, so correct me if need be.
I was able to find a few more images of that CJ-2A and trailer, which has led me to believe that Airstream founder Wally Byam used that jeep, probably purchased in Europe, to pull his trailer around Europe during Wally’s first trip in 1948, which he used to scout various countries for future caravans. However, I have so far been unable to find anyone explicitly saying that Wally did that. But, the jeep is a CJ-2A, so the timeline fits. The top looks similar to other European tops of the late 1940s, and in Europe I suspect there weren’t many vehicle options at that time. Here are the pics I found, the first being the one circulating on Facebook:
Wally Byam sitting in one of his early trailers. A Cj-2A with a European style top appears to be the pull-rig. I believe this would be 1948.
This photo, clearly in Europe, was posted on this site taken in Turkey, from the 1948 trip:
And this photo posted on this site. I assume this is in Europe, but cannot confirm it:
As the Airstream trailer business grew, Wally began encouraging traveling, leading some international caravans himself.
In 1951, he led a trip into Mexico and Central America, using what looks to be an early Jeep Wagon.
I found this example of a wagon pulling a trailer, but can’t determine when or where this occurred.
Eventually, Wally assembled the first around-the-world Airstream caravan that travelled over the course of 1963-1964 30,000 miles through thirty countries with 104 people in 40 Airstream trailers. Here’s a video about one family’s take on the event.
According to the video’s summary, “Journalist Mac Smith was hired to document the trip and brought along his wife Jackie and their three children, Lorie, Judy, and Scott. Mac would go on to write an account of the Around the World Caravan in his 1966 book, Thank You, Marco Polo: The Story of the First Around-the-World Trailer Caravan [which appears to be out of print].”
So, as you can see, I kind of fell down a rabbit hole of Airstream history.
While researching the Airstream history, I discovered a couple photos of the Ohio State Patrol’s communication trailers and jeeps, purchased in ’46 or ’47. There were several of these combos used for special tasks, such as enforcing aviation offenses.
This photo was posted to Cleveland.com (have to scroll down a bit):
This photo was posted onto LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ohio-state-highway-patrol_oshp90th-activity-7126255477654523905-RtsY?trk=public_profile_like_view
This image used to be on Bruce Again’s JeepSurreyGala website. I figured it would be good to repost them here. They show the serial numbers of DJ-3A Dispatcher and Surrey models over the production period 1956-1965. As you can see, the 1962 year is missing.
UPDATE: Barney added to this discussion. He had a customer who refurbed a military DJ-5.
Barney wrote: “Years ago I sold parts to a customer who had a military DJ5. He restored it to USMC tribute because it had been a Marine Corp vehicle. I have attached 2 photos. Note that it is left hand drive. He said they were used for base runabouts – messengers, delivery, etc. Obviously the graphics are not original but a tribute to his own service with the Corps.
I know the military used CJ5s stateside in the 70s and 80s and even in civilian colors as if they had got it from a dealership. Saw a 73 CJ that was and metallic green with a white Meyers hard top and a blue cherry on top as it was an MP Jeep at Fort Ord CA. I saw it patrolling the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey”
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Chris was kind enough to share images of his DJ-5 that was purchased my the military. It just shows that the AM General DJ-5s were used by more than just the USPS.
This could be good for parts or a rebuild. Replacement windshields can be found here.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1340105314048238/
“Missing sterling wheel and front windshield. 70 years old”
This end-of-year 1964 Jeep News Volume 10 Number 7 was expanded to twelve pages. The issue starts with some dealer news on page one. Page two reports on the success of Meyer hardtops and how demand forced an increase in production at Meyer Products, Inc. Dealers found them easier than most to install with less rattles while driving. On the lower left of page two, it’s noted that Jeep dealers often loaned jeeps to campaign committees of both parties. I didn’t know that happened.
Page three includes a story about Cold Spring, New York, ‘Jeep’ dealer William M. McAndrew and how his firm loaned 4WD vehicles to fire fighters during a hard-to-reach fire. On page three’s lower left is a rare XM-677 sighting, though much of it is blocked by Brazilian Army officers. Page four begins with a letter from Bruce Grantland, who wrote a review of the Wagoneer for Trailer Life Magazine (09/64). Page four also includes a pic from the “Kaiserama” exhibit, then located at the Kaiser center in Oakland, California. Page five has mostly dealer news, though a pic of some the 42 jeeps owned by the Nursery Company out of Azusa, California is included.
Pages six and seven share international news and pics. Page eight includes a photo of the Radio Patrol Club operated by the Keystone Automobile Club that traveled the Philadelphia metropolitan area helping folks in trouble. Page nine highlights some KJC military vehicle news. Pages ten and eleven shows a Gladiator Fire Truck, among other story snippets. Page twelve covers some Canadian jeep news. It also includes a photo of an FC-150 pulling a big truck with a three-story-house as its cargo; the little jeep that could!
The four-page 1962 Jeep Service and Parts News didn’t ‘wow’ me, but maybe you all see something I don’t.
Te eight-page 1964 Jeep News Volume 10 Number 6 begins with a record retail sales announcement. These revenue numbers were primarily driven by the three models shown at the bottom of page one, including the Tux Park CJ-5, the Wagonneer, and the Gladiator. Increasing numbers of dealers also helped. Page two mentioned how the golf partnership was already providing beneficial, with inquiries numbering in the hundreds arriving at dealers. Page three shows three of the new KJC-approved “ad mats” available for dealers to place in local newspapers.
Page four highlights a dealer in Ohio that tries to sell a Meyer plow with every jeep sale, claiming it isn’t that hard to do. Page five provides the results of a dealer contest. Page six shares the news of the National Search and Rescue group and their recent election. Page eight turns international, with pics and captions from around the world. On page eight you’ll find the results of Boulder, Colorado’s, 4th annual Jeep-O-Rama. The winner of a brand new CJ-5 was Donnie Beyer, whose father owned a jeep dealership. Pretty good for a 17-year-old kid! Lower on the page is a DJ-3A with an unusual door and top setup. Finally, on the lower right, is a fairly well-know pic of Barb Eden (right) and Shelley Fabares with a DJ-3A Surrey from the movie “Ride the Wild Surf” (see trailer at bottom).
(yes, a Surrey makes a quick appearance in this trailer):
The four-page February 1962 Jeep Service and Parts News wasn’t all that exciting, lol, but is timely considering it is now February 2024 (yes, 62 years have passed!). Page three mentions a couple service bulletins that can be found at the bottom of this post. Page four mentions the Pedal Slack Adjuster Kit, which is also discussed at the CJ-3B page: https://cj3a.info/tech/pedalslack.html
Service Bulletin No. 503:
Fleet Service No. FL-119 (Same info would be on Service Bulletin No. 504, but I don’t have that one):
